Wales had suffered a setback before kick-off with lock Alun Wyn Jones, who captained the British and Irish Lions to victory in the third Test against Australia last summer, pulling out with a foot infection.

Wales were already without Jones's fellow Lion Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams, both centres, which saw North switched from wing to midfield.

But the biggest change by Gatland had been the decision to relegate 82-cap Lions scrum-half Mike Phillips to the bench in favour of Rhys Webb, winning his fifth cap.

Official match stats

Wales

France

49%

Possession

51%

43%

Territory

57%

5 (4)

Scrums won (lost)

1 (2)

15 (1)

Line-outs won (lost)

11 (1)

10

Pens conceded

11

51 (4)

Rucks/mauls won (lost)

73 (6)

26

Possession kicked

23

116 (26)

Tackles made (missed)

69 (8)

4

Offloads

21

1

Line breaks

4

(provided by Accenture)

While Gatland's side had won the previous two meetings between the sides, Wales had not won three in a row against Les Bleus since 1970-72 meaning the current crop have now equalled another record of that great side.

If Wales had any pre-match nerves, Halfpenny settled them with an early penalty before the full-back chipped ahead for North to score a try.

France full-back Brice Dulin got there just ahead of the Welshman, but was accidentally clattered by Doussain and the ball went loose for North to pounce.

Halfpenny missed the conversion but made amends with four more penalties before the break.

Doussain replied with one of his own but missed a sitter in front of the posts, so fly-half Plisson took over the kicking duties to add a second French penalty.

France were unlucky not to have claimed a try when Pascal Pape was up quickly on Rhys Priestland, but the ball went forward off his arm as he tackled the Wales fly-half.

Yannick Nyanga gathered the loose ball and sent it on to Yoann Huget, who skipped around Jamie Roberts to touch down only to be called back.

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre responded to the one-sided first half by replacing the misfiring Doussain with Maxime Machenaud at half-time.

Plisson had a chance to reduce the deficit early in the second half but was wide with a long-range attempt at the posts.